


An Entirely New Light

by scatteredlogic



Category: Harry Potter - Rowling
Genre: Angst, Ficlet, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-03-14
Updated: 2005-03-14
Packaged: 2017-10-12 11:19:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/124306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scatteredlogic/pseuds/scatteredlogic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Seeing someone in an entirely new light isn't always for the best.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Entirely New Light

She knew that she'd be in trouble if she was caught out after curfew, but she'd done this before and she was always careful. The trick was to get outside as quickly as possible, then use a Disillusionment Charm. She kept to the shadows along the edges of the castle until she reached the small niche on the east side. It gave her a clear view of the Forbidden Forest and still blocked most of the sharp wind.

There'd been a Death Eater meeting tonight. She'd seen Professor Snape flinch and rub his arm before slipping away from the Head Table during dinner. The temptation to jump up and follow him had been incredible, but she'd known that was pointless; he always left the dungeons through some secret passageway that she'd never been able to find. She'd forced herself to finish her meal, the food tasting like ashes as she choked it down. Only then did she go to her dorm to retrieve her heavy cloak. None of her housemates asked where she was going, but that didn't surprise her. They really paid very little attention to her.

When she'd made her way to the niche, she settled down to wait. Sometimes the Death Eaters went on raids, and while the possibility that he would be injured was minor, the potential still existed and it frightened her. She knew it was silly, but she'd convinced herself that as long as she stood watch, he would be all right and would return safely.

She knew that her feelings toward him were not reciprocated. She was his student, and he took his responsibilities far too seriously to ever consider her as anything else. But during the nights that she stood guard, waiting for him to return from his meetings, she'd begun to consider that she wouldn't always be his student. In a few months, she would leave school and would be considered an adult.

Perhaps then she could do something that would capture his attention. She knew she wasn't attractive, but there were other things to consider, weren't there? Perhaps if she could prove that she shared his interests, he'd look at her in an entirely new light. As she turned that thought over in her mind, a plan began to form... She smiled when she realised that it would not only serve her purpose, but would also give her the added benefit of her father's pride when she followed in his footsteps.

A particularly fierce gust swept into her hiding place and she shivered. It had begun to rain and soon her cloak was a frigid, sodden weight around her shoulders. She briefly considered using magic to keep warm, but it might interfere with the Disillusionment Charm, and it was far more important to remain hidden.

It was almost two hours before he returned, emerging from the edge of the Forbidden Forest, still wearing his Death Eater robes and mask. As he approached the castle, he pulled the mask from his face and shook back his hair, tucking the mask into a pocket of the robes. She held her breath as he passed within a few feet of her, but his graceful stride never hesitated. When he was out of sight, she silently counted to one hundred and carefully made her way back into the castle.

In her dorm room, she shrugged the wet cloak off, uncaring that it fell to the floor. A house elf would see that it was dry and clean by the morning. As she began to undress, a low voice broke the silence.

"Millie? Is that you?"

She sighed and continued unbuttoning her blouse. "Yes, Pansy. Go back to sleep."

"Where have you been? It's late."

"I've been down by the lake, practising hexes." The lie came easily.

"In this weather? Whatever for?" There was a slight note of astonishment in Pansy's voice.

Millicent smiled, pleased that she could reveal at least part of her plan to someone. "Because I've made up my mind. When I leave school, I'm going to become a Death Eater."

**The End**

**Author's Note:**

> Written prior to the release of HBP.


End file.
